An explication of the iudiciall lawes of Moses. Plainely discovering divers of their ancient rites and customes. As in their governours, government, synedrion, punishments, civill accompts, contracts, marriages, warres, and burialls. Also their oeconomicks, (vizt.) their dwellings, feasting, clothing, and husbandrie. Together with two treatises, the one shewing the different estate of the godly and wicked in this life, and in the life to come. The other, declaring how the wicked may be inlightned by the preaching of the gospel, and yet become worse after they be illuminated. All which are cleered out of the originall languages, and doe serue as a speciall helpe for the true understanding of divers difficult texts of scriptures. ... / By Iohn Weemse, of Lathocker in Scotland, preacher of Gods word.

How the wicked may be inlightned by the Preaching of the Gospel, and yet become worse after they be illuminated.

MAT 12. 43 When the uncleane spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through drie places seeking rest, and findeth none, then he faith, I will returne unto mine house, &c.

CHRIST having taught long amongst the Iewes, and illuminated their minds by wor∣king sundry miracles amongst them, and casting out Devils; but having wrought no sanctification amongst them, he bringeth this Parable of a man dispossessed of a Devill, and being cast out, finding the house emptie and trimmed, returneth with seven spirits worse than himselfe.

There is the Parable here, and the application of the Parable; the Parable is set downe at large, and the ap∣plication in few words, even so shall it also be with this wicked generation.

The Parable it selfe hath three parts, first, possession; secondly, dispossession; and thirdly, repossession.

Possession in these words, when the evill spirit is gone out of a man: which implieth, that he must first haue possession before he be cast out: secondly, dispossession, and when he is dispossessed, he wandreth in dry places and findeth no rest untill he returne; and thirdly, re∣possession,

he goeth and taketh with himselfe seven other spirits more wicked than himselfe, and they enter in and dwell there, and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

When the uncleane spirit is cast out.] He is an uncleane spirit; first, in the manner of his apparition; secondly, in the manner of his revelation; and thirdly, in the man∣ner of his operation.

First, in the manner of his apparition, he appeareth in the likenesse of a Goat, a stinking and a vile creature, therefore the Lord saith, They shall no more offer their sacrifices to Devils, Deut. 17. 7. In the Originall it is [Leshegnirim] to the hayrie ones; they are called the hayrie ones, because they haue appeared in the likenesse of Satyres or wilde Goates.

Secondly, the Devill is an uncleane spirit in the man¦ner of his revelation, thou shalt not suffer [Obh] a Witch to liue, Exod. 22. 18. Obh is called a Bottle or a Bladder, the Witches are so called, because Satan gaue his an∣swers out of their bellies, and out of the secret passages of nature, and for this they were called by the Greekes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Thirdly, he is an uncleane spirit in the manner of his operation, where ever he lodgeth he defileth that soule and that bodie, therefore the Scriptures call such som∣times dogges and swine, Revel. 22. 15. and the filthieft beasts that are; but the holy Spirit is most comely in the manner of his apparition, in his revelation, and ope∣ration.

First, in the manner of his apparition, when he appea∣red it was either in the likenesse of a man or a Doue, or in the likenesse of fiery tongues; but he never appeared in the likenesse of any filthy beast.

Againe, in the manner of his revelation; he revealed himselfe to his Prophets in a most comly manner when

he spake in them, he spake not out of the secret parts of nature, they did not foame at the mouth as those who were blasted by the Devill, but the holy Ghost sancti∣fied their tongues, and in great modestie and comeli∣nesse they spake the truth.

Thirdly, in the manner of his operation he is most ho∣ly, for where ever he lodgeth, he sanctifieth and purifi∣eth that soule and bodie, therefore he is compared in the Scriptures to water and to fire, and to the Fullers sope, Psal. 51. 7. Wash me and I shall be whiter than the snow: in the originall it is [Tecabbeseni] play the Fuller upon me. We may know then whether we be possessed by Satan or not, if we delight in filthinesse or unclean∣nesse, for uncleannesse is the unseparable effect of the uncleane spirit: a man may be overtaken by Satan som∣times, and Satan may in part pollute him, but he de∣lighteth not in it; but if he delight to wallow in that sinne, and make no resistance to Satan, then he is cer∣tainly the habitation of Satan; when one offered vio∣lence to a woman under the Law, Deut. 22. 27. if shee cryed out, she was not to die the death; but if she held her peace, and consented to that villany, she was to die the death: So when Satan commeth to pollute the soule and defile the bodie, if he cry out with Paul, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the bodie of this death? Rom. 7. 24. then we are not to die; but if wee hold our peace, & delight in Satans temptations which pollute the soule and the bodie, then wee are to die.

Is cast out of a man.] There is no creature in which Sa∣tan delighteth to lodge, but onely in man; when he en∣tred into other creatures, it was but onely to deceiue man, as when he entred into the Serpent, it was for this end, to deceiue Eva; he cared not for the Serpent it selfe: so when he entred into the Gergesites swine, it was

not for the swine that he cared, but onely that he might draw the hearts of the Gergesites from Christ by drow∣ning of their swine; and the reason wherefore he de∣lighteth to dwell in no other creature but man, is, be∣cause there is no visible creature that can commit sinne but man, where there is not a Law, there is no transgressi∣on, for sinne is the transgression of the Law, Rom. 4. 15. but no Law is given to any visible creature but onely to man. This should be a great motiue to humble man, when he seeth such a great change, that he who was the Temple of the holy Ghost, should now become a cage for uncleane spirits, and to make the house of God a den of theeues, Mat. 21. 13. Was not this a great change, when a mans house in which he dwelt was made a dung∣hill? Ezra 6. 11. But this is a farre greater change when man who should be the Temple of the holy Ghost, is made a receptacle for uncleane Devils; it was a great change in Naomi, when her beautie was changed into bitternes; and when the Nazarites that were whiter than the snow, became blacke like the cole, Lament. 4. 8. and when Nebuchadnezzar, who was a mightie King became a beast, Dan. 4. 33. but those changes were no∣thing to this change, when man who was the Temple of the holy Ghost, should become the cage of uncleane Devils.

When the uncleane spirit is gone out of a man.

Whether did Satan goe out willingly here, or was [Quest.] he cast out by force?

He was cast out by force here, he goeth not out wil∣lingly [Answ.] but by collusion, this is not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by force to cast him out, Satan doth not cast our Satan; but when the Lord casteth him out by his power, then he is cast out by force.

Whether is this gift in the Church now or not, to cast [Quest.] out Satan?

This extraordinary gift to compell Satan to goe out [Answ.] of a man, is not in the Church now, we haue prayer and fasting now, desiring the Lord to cast him our, Mat. 17. 21. but to charge him to goe out, or to conjure him, the Church hath no such power; to use the signe when the thing signified is not, this is a great abuse, if the high Priest under the Law should haue put in two counter∣feit stones in the brestplate, when there was neither V∣rim nor Thummim, and promised by them, to haue the Lord to answere him, had not this beene a delusion; so for men now to use the words of authority, to charge Satan to goe out, when this power is not in the Church, this is but a delusion; the Church hath power now by excommunication to giue over wicked men into the hands of Satan, but yet they become not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, re∣ally possessed, as it was in the Primitiue Church. So the Church now hath power to pray to God for the delivery of the partie, but they haue not power with au∣thoritie to charge the uncleane spirit; the Church in her infancie had some extraordinary gifts which are now ceased, as to speake tongues, to cure the sicke, to cast out Devils, and to kill, as Peter did Ananias and Sa∣phira, Act. 5. 5. to strike blind, as Paul did Elymas the sorcerer, Act. 13. 11.

Those gifts which are the best gifts God never with∣draweth them from his Church altogether; but other gifts which are not simply the best gifts, he withdraw∣eth them; example, to speake diverse Languages was a gift profitable for the planting of the Church at the first, but yet it was not simplie necessary; Paul said, he had rather speake fiue words in a knowne tongue, than ten thousand words in an unknowne tongue, 1 Cor. 14. 19. Those gifts which are most excellent and simply neces∣sary in the Church, he taketh not away, I shew unto you a more excellent way, 1 Cor. 12. 31. And the Lord hath

turned these gifts into more excellent gifts, Ioh. 14. 12. He that beleeveth in me, the workes that I doe, shall he doe also, and greater workes than these shall he doe.

When Christ was here bodily present with his Dis∣ciples, his bodily presence was not so comfortable to ••hem as his spirituall presence, so when he was present by miracles, signes, and wonders in the Primitiue Church▪ this was but a bodily presence in respect of his spirituall presence with us now; when the LORD wrought these miracles then, it was either to convict the Infidels, or to strengthen the faith of the weak ones, these miracles were signes, not to them that beleeue, but to them that beleeue not. 1 Cor. 14. 22. When Paul healed the father of Publius the Consull, of a Fever, he healed him by a miracle, and made him presently to arise, Act. 28. 8. but he healed not Timothy that way, but see∣meth rather to play the Physitian to him, bidding him drinke no longer water but wine, 1 Tim. 5. 23. What was the reason of this? Timothy beleeved, therefore he nee∣ded not a miracle; but the father of Publius beleeved not, he was an Infidell as yet, and therefore a miracle was more necessary for him.

He walketh through dry places.] That is, he counteth all other places but deserts in respect of his former ha∣bitation.

Seeking rest and findeth none.] Satan hath three places; first, his place of pleasure; secondly, his place of wan∣dring; and thirdly, his place of torment; his place of pleasure is an uncleane soule, in which he delighteth to wallow: his place of wandring is, when he goeth about compassing the earth too & fro, seeking whom he may devour; and his place of torment is hell. Satan is tor∣mented now when he is in his place of pleasure, and in his place of wandring, but his full torment is not come, Art thou come hither to torment us before the time, Mat. 8. 29.

So the childe of God hath three places; his place of pleasure, as Psal. 84. 1. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts, my soule longeth, yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord: so he hath his place of griefe, Woe is me, that I sojourne in Mesech, that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar, Psal. 120. 5. and he hath his place of joy in the Heavens.

And findeth none.] Spirits haue their rest, they are not like quick-silver which hath principium motus in se, sed non quietis, but they haue principium motus & quietis, the soule resteth when it is delighted, as the bodie re∣steth when it lyeth or sitteth. Satans rest is sinne, but this is a restlesse rest, the true rest of the soule is God onely, therefore David said, returne my soule to thy rest, Psal. 116. 7. When the soule is not set upon God the right object, then it is extra centrum; and as the Needle of the Compasse trembleth alwayes untill it stand to [Simile.] the North-Pole, so the soule hath no rest untill it be set upon the right object God himselfe. The rich man said, soule take thy rest, when he had his Barnes full, Luk. 12. 9. But riches cannot bring rest to the soule, for the more that a covetous man hath, the more he co∣veteth; an example of this we see in gold-thirstie Ba∣bel, Esa. 14. 4. the more they had, the more they cove∣ted: the soules of the wicked are in a sling, 1 Sam. 25. a stone in a sling is violently tossed about, so are their soules, and they shall get no rest day nor night, Rev. 14. 11. So David compareth the wicked to a wheele which alwayes turneth about, Psal. 83. 13. and to a drunken man that lyeth upon the top of a Mast, Prov. 23. 24. If thou wouldst haue true rest to thy soule, disburden it of sinne; Looke how the poore shippe was tossed, so long as Ionas was in her, but when he was throwne in∣to the Sea, the storme was calmed: so cast out sinne; and then thou mayest haue rest. When a man enter∣taineth

his sinne, he is like a man that is sicke on the Sea, he runneth from this place to that place to seeke rest, but all in vaine, because he hath the sicknesse with∣in himselfe. God is called by the Hebrewes [Makem] locus, because he containeth all things, and is contai∣ned of none; every thing is kept in its owne place, God is the place for the soule to rest in: the Philoso∣phers say, Bonum ex integra causa consistit, malum ex quo∣libet defectu, Goodnesse cannot consist without the in∣tegritie of all the parts, but evill is a defect of any of them, that a man be in good health, it is necessary that every humour keepe his just temper and proportion, but to make a man sicke, it is enough that one humour onely be distempered: the rest of the soule is GOD, who is all goodnesse, but any griefe will disquiet the soule; the soule is a disturbed thing, therefore we must admire his power who can settle it: when Christ cal∣med the winde and the Sea, they said, Who is he that both Sea and winds obey? so we may say, when God calmeth the soule, and putteth it to its rest; who is this that the unsetled soule doth obey? Satan being so farre from God, who is the place of rest, he cannot finde rest.

Then he saith, I will returne vnto my house from whence [Quest.] I came out.

How can Satan returne to that place out of which he hath beene cast?

Satan is cast out two wayes, either partially or to∣tally: [Answ.] Partially he is cast out by illumination, totally by sanctification; this partiall casting out of Satan, is wrought sundry wayes; first, by civill education, as Nero was very meeke the first fiue yeares of his Raigne, because he was brought up under Seneca a good Master, so Iulian so long as he was a Reader in the Church, Satan was cast out of him partially; and

sometimes by the constitution of the bodie, as some abstaine from some sinnes, because of the constituti∣on of their bodies, as they abstaine from drinke, be∣cause they haue a weake braine; and sometimes by shame; and sometimes by the restraining power of God; but it is easie for Satan to enter in againe when he hath but such barres to hold him out; but where there is a totall sanctification, he cannot enter in againe there. Now when we call it a totall sanctification, it is meant totall here in parts, but not in degrees, that is, there is no facultie in the soule, but there is grace in it as well as there is sinne, and therefore Satan cannot en∣ter there againe.

Vnto mine house from whence I came.

No place can content him so well as his former ha∣bitation, wherein he hath dwelt a long time, and he glorieth more to repossesse himselfe in his former ha∣bitations, than to purchase new places. When Satan was dispossessed out of the people of the Iewes in the Wildernesse by the doctrine of Miracles which Moses wrought, he sought to be repossessed againe; first, by Idolatrie; secondly, by Whoredome with the daughters of Moah, and by rebellion: so when hee was dispossessed out of the Christian Churches in the East, first, he sought to be repossessed again by schismes and heresies, but especially by Arrianisme, then he fully repossessed himselfe againe by Mahomet. If thou be free from Satans possession, looke not back againe as Lots wife d••d; Satan is like a Raven, when he is driven from a dead carkasse, he fleeth but a little from it, and is readie to returne to it againe; when a man commeth [Simile.] out of a Bathe, the Physitians prescribe to him then, that he looke well to himselfe, for he is readie to catch cold, because his pores are open; so when Satan is cast out, a man hath neede then to be very vigilant,

that Satan surprise him not againe, For if after they haue escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ, they are againe in∣tangled, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning, 2 Pet 2. 20.

And when he is come, he findeth it emptie, swept, and garnished.

This house was swept and hung, but it was not well furnished within.

Obserue that God never commeth to the soule with a privation, but as he taketh away sinne, so he putteth in grace, pull up the thornes, and then sow the wheate, Iere. 4. 3. Cease to doe evill, and then learne to doe good, Esay 1. The Lord liketh not this privatiue Di∣vinitie, Curse yee Meroz, because they came not to the helpe of the Lord, Iudg. 5. 23. So when I was an hungred, yee gaue me no meat at all. Mat. 25. 42. Many men doe con∣tent themselues with this, they will doe their enemy no harme, they will haue no medling with him, but this is the sweeping of the house onely, but they come not to the positiue part, I will doe him good, and there∣fore Satan may get entrance againe.

Then goeth he, and taketh seven other spirits with him more wicked than himselse.

Here the question may be mooved, whether some Devils be worse than others? It may seeme there are, because Beelzebub their Prince he is worst, goe to the hels prepared for the Devill and his Angels, Mat. 25. 41. And as amongst the good Angels, some are Powers, Dominions, and some Thrones; so it seemeth that a∣mongst the wicked Angels, there are some more wic∣ked than others, they are not then called worse spirits, because they are moe in number onely, but they are worse, because they are more malicious; they are all bad spirits, but some exceed others in malice and wic∣kednesse;

many men doe mistake Satan and his Angels, they thinke that some of them are spirits which doe no harme, but they are all sworne enemies to mans salva∣tion, therefore Satan is called the red Dragon, the red Dragon delighteth not onely to kill men for hunger, but also for sport to kill them▪ what can we looke for then of those infernall spirits of destruction?

And the last end of that man is worse than the first.

His last end is worse than his beginning in three re∣spects; first, in respect of God; secondly, in respect of himselfe; thirdly, in respect of Satan.

First, in respect of God, who justly punisheth him this wise, by giving him up unto a reprobate sense, be∣cause he loved not the truth: secondly, his last end is worse in respect of himselfe, because he is dyed over a∣gaine with sinne; those sinnes in the Scripture are cal∣led Scarlet sinnes. Scarlet is called Shani or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because it is twice dyed. So men when they fall backe, they are dyed anew againe, and as recidivatio in morbis est periculosa, so is the falling into sinne anew againe. So it is worse in respect of himselfe, because after that a man is illuminated, he is more readie to become pro∣phane, if he be not sanctified: Take water and heat it, [Simile.] and set it in the ayre, it will freeze sooner than cold wa∣ter; So if a man be illuminated, and haue some taste of sanctification, and then fall backe againe, he is in a worse case than he was in before. Thirdly, he is worse in re∣spect of Satan, for when Satan catcheth him againe, he maketh him twice more the childe of hell. A sailor hath a prisoner fettered by the hands, necke, and feete, the prisoner beggeth of him, that he would release him, he releaseth him all to the foote, he slippeth his foote out of the fetters and escapeth; if the Iailor catch him againe, he layeth a double weight upon him, and fette∣reth him twice as sure as he was before; so when a sin∣ner

seemeth to escape from Satan, being enlightned and in some shew sanctified, if he fall backe againe, he brin∣geth seven worse spirits with him.

The application of the Parable is, Even so shall it be also unto this wicked Generation. As if Christ should say, when I came amongst you, yee were in d••rkenesse, but by my ministerie yee haue beene illuminated, but maliciously now yee impugne this truth, and yee are possessed with seven worse spirits than before, therefore your end must be worse than your beginning.

FINIS.

Notes

• The scope of the Parable.
• The parts of it.
• Satan uncleane in the manner of his appa∣rition.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• In his revelation. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Pytho.
• In his operation.
• How the Holy Ghost appeared.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• The godly delight not in sinne.
• Satans delight is to lodge onely in man.
• A motiue to humilitie.
• Satan goeth not out willingly.
• Not lawfull to use the signe when the thing signified is not.
• God never withdrawes from his Church gifts which are simply good.
• Why miracles were wrought.
• Three places of Sa∣tan.
• The childe of God hath three places.
• The spirits haue their rest.
• When the soule re∣steth.
• How to finde true rest.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 v••l s••pius 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 per antiphra sin quasi illocali••, infinitus, qui nullo loco capitur, sed omnibus rebus locum dat.
• Why Satan can haue no rest.
• A twofold casting out of Satan.
• Wicked men how re∣strained from sinne.
• Satan desires to goe backe into his ancient habitation.
• How to keepe us free from Satan, that he enter not againe.
• God commeth never with an emptie hand.
• Whether some Devils be worse than others?
• The end of the wicked is worse than their be∣ginning three wayes▪
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• The application of the Parable.